Currently, the primary means for acquiring, storing, and redeeming electronic coupons, promotions, tickets, and the like, involves the use of a near field communications (NFC) enabled mobile phone handset. Very few mobile phones presently in use, however, are actually configured to conduct NFC proximity payment transactions. Notably, this significant deficiency of deployed NFC enabled phones is hindering the widespread adoption of conducting NFC proximity payments. More specifically, although it is extremely likely that NFC payment transactions will become a common practice in the future, the fact that so few NFC enabled handsets are currently available is delaying the process.
Several reasons contribute to the lack of a large scale deployment of NFC enabled handsets. For example, many businesses and retailers have been slow to install NFC proximity payment readers in their stores due to, not surprisingly, the scarcity of customers utilizing NFC enabled handsets. Similarly, potential customers do not feel compelled to buy NFC enabled handsets, which may be considerably expensive, since there is a lack of businesses employing the technology. Thus, before NFC enabled handsets are used by a significant portion of the population, a critical mass needed to promote the proliferation of NFC transactions has to be established.
This dilemma may be addressed by the use of inexpensive contactless cards to conduct certain electronic transactions, such as redeeming electronic certificates (e.g., electronic coupons or tickets). Due to the fact that they may be cheaply obtained and can easily be configured to store coupon or ticket information, contactless cards may serve as an affordable vehicle to introduce potential customers to NFC proximity transactions. Similarly, the increasing number of customers using the cards will likely compel vendors to implement wireless smart device readers in their stores, thus eventually creating a critical mass needed to promote widespread acceptance of proximity payments.
Accordingly, there exists a need for affordable and improved methods, systems, and computer readable media for storing and redeeming electronic certificates using a wireless smart card without the use of an NFC enabled mobile phone.